Review of ferroelectric hydroxyapatite and its application to biomedicine

Hydroxyapatite (HA) is a major component of bone in humans and animals. Until about 10 years ago, it was considered to have a centrosymmetric crystal structure and could not contribute to the well-known piezoelectric effect in bone. This review describes the theoretical and experimental studies that showed that HA does have a non-centrosymmetric structure. Recent experiments have shown that HA exhibits piezoelectricity, pyroelectricity, and ferroelectricity. It has been made in the form of thick films and as space-charge electrets. It has an important biomedical application as an implant for bone cell attachment and growth.